Coiling-closure.



'6. w. DREW.

COILING CLOSURE. Arnlcmou FILED MAR. t. 19N.

RENEWED 1AN.22. I9I9.

Patented Feb. .25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

IN V EN TOR.

G. W DREW.

COILING CLOSURE. APPucATlow FILED MAR, 1. |911. nsNzwED 1AN.2'2. 1919.

1,295,712. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I e INVENToR.

a door or UNITED sTATEsP-ATENT orrrcu. 's

GEORGE W. DREW, 0F OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

GOILING-CLOSURE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

Application led March 1, 1917, Serial No. 151,834. Renewed January 22, 1919. Serial No. 272,557.

To all whom zt may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. DREW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented a new and useful Coiling-Closure, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in coiling closures made of wooden slat members with edge bead and groove hinge joints and more especially to a closure of this class where the slat members stand in a vertical position.

o Among the objects sought are the followin o provide a closure of this class, such as partition which will be neat and sightly in appearance, when extended, and occupy relatively small space when colled up.

Another object is to provide a coiling closure which will reasonably remain in the best of working condition with the least liability to get out of order.

A further object is to provide a coiling closure which will run easily and have a uniformly reliable coiling mechanism.

A still further object is to provide a closure which shall embody within itself the means of self coiling as well as exert suflcient power to revolve the reel upon which it coils; this is accomplished by the novel arrangement of coiling springs inserted through transverse openings in the Slat members. With these and other objects in view this invention consists of novel features of construction and combination of parts, particularly described in the specifications and pointed out'in the claims, reference being had to the drawings forming a part of this specification. Similar numeralsrefer to similar parts throughout.

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved device showing it partly extended.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in cross section 1n coiled relation, and floor plan.

Fig. 3 is a detail of a part of Fig. 2 showcoiling Fig. 5 is a vertical elevation partly in seek.

tion, showing the arrangement of the rev-l forming the other side of .the

oluble reel, cross ing platform.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the center portion of the disk for supporting the coiled closure.

Fig. 7 is a view of expansion bow springs positioned on adjacent slat members.

' Fig. 8 indicates a frame, means of, fastenlng the frame together, retaining the caster in position and securing the same to the slat member.

To permit of a hinge action necessary for the coiling operation, the slat members 1 are provided with a bead 19 on one edge and a groove 20 on the other edge.- The groove 20 has a concave bottom to fit the convex edge of the bead 19; the groove 20 and bead 9 of adjacent slat members form a hinge joint. The lip 22 forming one lside of the groove 20 is below the vmargin of the lip 21 groove, to rovide a space 23 for hinge action in coilmg.

In practice I use flexible wire cables 11 to bind the slat members together and secure the closure to the revoluble reel. these are inserted throu h transverse holes in the Slat members, in li e manner'the coiling springs section of closure support- .4 are placed through openings provided for t e purpose. v

The coiling spring 4, Fig. 4, is a tightly wound flat coiled spring which exerts a contracting action in coiling up the closure. This spring also furnishes the power to revolve the reel, the coilingl of the closure having the effect of revolving the reel. The convolutions of the spiral spring 4 are wound and tempered in contact with each other so that the radii of curvature of the spring coils before insertion in the slats are much smaller than the radii of the spirally wound closure coils, which insures a close coiling of the closure. The spring 4, at the bottom-of the closure, Where the slat members are vertically positioned, performs a further service, it acts 4as a bridge to carry the slat members intervening between the wheel slat members, the latter acting as piers to carry the, intervening slats. The lower edge of the spring 4 at the bottom of the closure, preferably rests upon the upper side of the pin 30 in the upper end of the wheel frame 3. The wheel mentioned above is pivotally mounted in a frame secured to the slat members, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8. The metal supporting wheels and lot fastened together by recesses in the sides of travels and through which also the metal` 3 approaches the platform 8.

frame are preferably. means of internally threaded tubular pins 30 placed at top and bottom, screws 5 engaged in both ends of the pins 30 bring the frame sides 3 tight against the ends of the pins 30 as well as into the Sides 3,' forming the this manner, together with wood screws, the wheel frames are secured to the slat members, the caster wheel 2 Jturning on the bottomv pin 30. These wheels are laced at regular intervals and carry the-entire weight of the closure.'

The revoluble reel upon which the closure coils comprises the following members, a pivot shaft 9, adjustable circular lsupporting platform 8, flanges 14 to which the closure is secured and an adjustment nut 10. The pivot shaft 9 which carries the weight` of the reel and closure, when the same is coiled up, is pivotally positioned within the coiling space and is provided with annular ball bearing fixtures 12 and 7 at top and bottom. This insures durability and easy action ofthe reel in the coilng and uncoiling o eration. The adjustment nut 10 is provi ed to bring the supporting platform 8 to, and maintain it at, a proper level. The closure when coiled up 1s carried by the supporting platform 8.

A guard 24 is placed around the supporting platform 8, which, rising a suicient. distance above its surface prevents the closure from sliding over the edge of the same when coiling up, a gap is provided in one side of the guard 24, through which thel closure track 17, Fig.

-The closure is held in position, within the opening, by means of grooves as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom groove, indicated in Fig. 2, is provided with a metal track 17, upon which the wheels 2 travelas the closure is operated. The connection between the track 17, and the platform 8, comprising a member having the part 15 is on a level with the platform 8, and the inclined part 16 which leads to the track 17 that is slightly above the level of the platform. l

To compensate for swelling andshrinking of the wooden slat members, I have provided expansion bow springs and clips, 27 and 26` Figs. 5 and 7, which are secured to adjacent slat members as shown in Fig. 7 these springs are placed on slat members which are near the inner edge of the closure as indicated in Fig. 5, and remain permanently within the coiling box and arev never exposed to-view, a further purpose of these springs; is to keep the exposed slat members of the closure, close together-so that there shall be no openings between them.

The clip 26, Fig. 7, is made of metal in the form of a fold, with one endprojecting beyond the other, the projecting end is secured the slat members. In f coiling springs said slats,

to the slat-member While ed over the end of the spring causing 1t to remain flat on the slat members. have above described the preferred embodiment of my invention and plan' of construction, it will be understood that I doV not wish to limit myself to the exact structure tailed. I have shown the use of both cables and springs, but in some `cases springs only are used, also Where the slat members run in a horizontal position the supporting platform 8, and the casters Fig. 8, are not required.

Claims:

1. A self-coiling closure comprising iexibly jointed wooden slat members having i o ahnmg transverse openings therein, and sp1- lrally wound springs inserted through said openlngs in said slat members, said springs being adapted to coilably operate said clo' sure.

2. A self-coiling closure comprising vertically positioned wheeled and non wheeled iexibly jointed wooden inserted through transverse openings 1n said slat members, the said wheeled slat members being adapted to sup'- port said springs and said springs being adapted to carry said intervening non' wheeled slat members.

8. A coilable closure comprising flexibly jointed, beaded and grooved slat members, holding members throughsaid slats, said closure having an vexpansion opening between two adjacent slat members, and spring means tending to force apart the slats adjacent said opening.

4. A coilable closure comprising jointed, beaded, and grooved, wooden slat members, spirally coiled flat springmembers extending transversely through said slats cooperating therewith, said closure having an expansion opening between two and expansion bow springs secured to the slats adjacent said opening to provide forl the shrinking and expansion of said slats on said first mentioned springs.

5. A coilable closure comprlsingl a heel,

the other. is fold-I extending transversely While I de-yv slat members and flexibly l of said slats,

flexibly jointed, beaded and grooved,wooden f slat members, and ceiling springs extending transversely through said slats and unattached thereto, a reel, iiexible members eX- tending through said slats and having theirI ends attached to said reel and the outer of track-ways for the edges of said closure, and means for taking up the expansion and contraction of said slats.

, 6. A deviceV comprising in combination with a wall opening, a revolubly mounted reel positioned at one side of said opening, a closure having one end attached to said reel, parallelguideways for the edges of said closure on two sidesl of said opening, said closure comprising iexibly joined slats having their ends of. the character described held in said guideways and having alining transverse openings, and flat spirally coiled springs extending through said openings adapted to Wind said closure on said reel.

7. A device of the character described comprising a reel, flexibly joined Slat members forming a closure having one end attached to said reel, parallel guide-Ways ex*- tending tangentially from said reel adapted to hold the end of said slat members, flat spirally Wound spring members extending through said slats but unattached thereto, and spring means for holding said slats transversely together on said flat spring members.

8. A device of the'character described comprising in combination with a Wall opening, a reel revolubly mounted adjacent one edge of said opening, guideways extending tangentially with respect to said reel along the adjacent sides of said opening, iexibly joined wooden slat members having alining transverse openings'and forming a closure for said opening, said closure having its edges engaging said guideways, transverse,

flexible members attached to the outer of said slat members and to said reel only, and spring means for 4crowding said slat members transversely toward said outer slat member.

GEORGE W. DREW. Witnesses:

GEORGE WELz, WV. E. FoRREsT. 

